Never Dead
by EzriaFreak
Summary: Alison never died, but Aria did go to Iceland. When she comes back, Aria and Ezra fall in love (he is still her teacher). However, Alison also has a crush on Ezra. Even though Ali always gets what she want, will she be able to get Ezra?
1. Chapter 1

Alison jumped into Aria's bedroom as Aria stared at her reflection in her mirror. She sneaked up behind Aria and poked her back.

Aria screamed, but as soon as she saw Alison, her frown turned upside down.

"Ali!" Aria cried as she pulled her best friend into a hug. "How did you know I was back?"

Alison shrugged. "I have my ways," she smirked. "Anyways, I missed you so much. I can't believe you've been in Iceland for a whole year!"

"Ya, it feels like I was there forever," Aria admitted.

"So," Alison laughed. "You have a lot of catching up to do. The girls are meeting me at the Hollis Bar so we can discuss what you missed."

"Did I miss that much?" Aria asked.

Alison jumped and nodded at the same time. "You've missed tons. But to get you started, the girls already know about Meredith."

"What?" Aria shrieked. "Alison, how could you? You promised to keep it a secret."

Ali slumped her shoulders. "And you promised to not leave Rosewood, but look at you. You went to Europe for a whole year. Besides, this year, the girls have been opening up more to each other. Did you know that Emily is actually a lez? And Spencer kissed Ian when he was with Melissa? And, Hanna, her stories are the best. We've started shoplifting from the Rosewood Mall. It's so much fun!"

Aria smiled as she took in all of what Alison told her. Wow, Rosewood had changed while she was gone. "Seriously Ali, shoplifting. Is that really your thing? What if you get caught?"

"You see, that's why I do it, Aria. The new police, Officer Wilden," Ali sighed, "is so hot. I want him to notice me. And if stealing is what it takes, stealing is what I will do."

Aria smirked. "Everyone knows who you are. I mean seriously Alison, ask him out. He's bound to say yes."

"I've tried. But he rejected me. But then again, I love a boy who plays hard to get."

Aria shook her head while smiling. She missed Rosewood for many reasons. But mostly because of Ali and the girls. They were so much fun, and even though none of them were alike, they still got along.

From the door, Aria heard Mike run by. "Mom, I need a ride to lacrosse. Practice starts today!"

"I'll take him," Aria called out before she realized what she was saying. In Iceland, her family had bonded in a way that Aria was so used to driving Mike around all the time.

"Seriously Aria?" Alison nagged. "Do we have to take him?"

"Why not?" Aria asked. "We'll drive Mike to lacrosse, and then we can go to the Hollis Bar. I mean, Rosewood High is the way to the bar. We wouldn't lose any time."

"God, you're too sweet," Ali pestered. "But whatever, let's go!"


	2. Chapter 2

In five minutes, Mike had been released off at lacrosse practice. Aria and Alison were already on their way to the Hollis Bar.

"You cut your hair," Alison pointed out as Aria drove her new Toyota.

Aria nodded.

"I like it," Ali remarked. "And I love how you got rid of the pinkness, too. It makes you look more mature."

Aria smiled. "Europe can do that to you."

"I know," Ali answered. "I've been to Paris. Everyone there is so mature. It suits me."

Aria didn't have anything to say, so she didn't reply.

"I missed you," Ali exclaimed after a couple beats of silence. "The girls did, too."

"I missed you, too, Ali," Aria smiled as she parked her car in the parking lot of the bar.

Alison soared out of the car and Aria quickly shadowed her. The bar was bare, so the girls had it to themselves.

Emily, Spencer, and Hanna sat loudly yapping away at one of the bars' booths. They barely noticed Aria and Alison's appearance until Ali pointed it out.

"Hey guys!" Ali screamed as she jumped up and down and presented Aria. "Look who I found. She's back from the dead."

"Oh. My. God," Spencer screeched and jumped out of the booth. She quickly squeezed Aria.

"I've missed you so much!" yelled Hanna, who joined into the embrace.

"I can't believe your back," echoed Emily, who too entered the group hug.

When the hug ended, Hanna was the first to speak. Aria was astonished to realize that Hanna had lost so much weight.

"Omigod, Aria, we thought you were never returning," screeched Hanna.

"Why would I ever ditch you guys?" Aria asked. "I promised to be back in a years' time. So here I am!"

Emily smiled. "We missed you."

The girls spent the next hour discussing everything Aria had missed. She was informed in on everything: from who had the nastiest fashion sense, to who was the prime retard, to all of the couples. But, after an hour, their conversation came to an close.

"Shit!" Spencer cursed as she glanced down at her watch. "I've got to go. I'm meeting Melissa's new fiancé."

"What time is it?" Emily asked.

"6:30," replied Spencer.

"Then I have to go to," Emily cried. "My mom's making me welcome the new girl."

"And I have to go to dinner with Sean," Hanna gushed.

Alison stood up, too. "I have places to go, people to see."

After saying goodbye, the girls parted forces. Only Aria remained at the bar. She found a stool at the bar and ordered a cheeseburger. An attractive boy walked into the bar right after she ordered her food. Aria kept stealing glances at him. From the corner of her eye, she could see him check her out, too. Little did Aria know he would change her life forever.


	3. Chapter 3

"Are you alright down there?" Aria heard a sweet voice ask. She turned to her right and noticed that he handsome boy was talking to her.

"Ya," she replied, nervously, "I'm just a bit jetlag. I've just come back from Europe."

"Where in Europe?" The stranger asked.

Aria taped her fingers to the bar's counter. "Iceland."

The man smiled. "I spent some time in Reykjavik before going to Amsterdam. It's a great city," he explained.

Aria beamed. "So do you go to Hollis?"

He nodded. "I've just graduated. I'm starting my first teaching job."

"Ya," Aria agreed. "I'd like to teach."

The man nodded and a familiar song entered both Aria's and the stranger's ears.

"I love this song," Aria whispered. It was Happiness by the Fray.

"B-26," he answered, pleased. "What's your major?"

Aria gulped. As soon as he found out that she was still in high school, he would stop talking to her. "Well," she started, "I'm leaning towards English."

The stranger gleamed. "That's what I'm teaching!"

"And I also write, too," Aria explained while smiling. "But it's mostly personal, just for me."

The young man nodded. "I'm impressed," he gushed.

"Why?"

The stranger picked up his drink and moved one seat closer to Aria. "I tried writing once. I didn't get so far. If you're writing for yourself it must mean pure passion," he explained in a way that Aria loved. "Maybe I could read some of your writing one day?"

"Ya," Aria agreed. "If you want."

The stranger nodded again. "You're smart, you've traveled, great taste in music. I'd like to know more about you."

Aria released a breath she didn't know she was holding. He was interested in her! She was relieved, as it would have been embarrassing if she was the only one flirting. "Ya, I'd like to know more about you too," Aria sighed.

**…**

How the rest of the night had escalated so quickly, Aria did not know. However, she and the stranger talked for a few more minutes before heading to the bar's bathroom together. He had lifted her onto the counter, and she had wrapped her legs around them. They had kissed for the rest of the afternoon.

Their make out scene was interrupted by Aria's phone.

"Shit," she mumbled as she pulled herself away from the man. "I have to go."

"You could stay," the stranger suggested.

"No, I would love to," Aria explained. "But it's a family emergency."

She jumped off the counter and read her text. It was from Mike, telling her that practice was over. Of course, this was no family emergency, but Aria didn't want the stranger to think that she lived with her brother. That would be embarrassing.

"Can I at least have your number?" the man asked as Aria rushed out the bathroom.

"Of course," Aria replied. She gave him her phone so he could make himself a contact on it.

The stranger also gave Aria his phone. She quickly typed in her number and made a contact, naming herself Aria.

"My name is Aria, by the way," Aria explained as she handed him back his phone.

"Nice name, Aria," the stranger explained. "I'm Ezra."

"Nice to meet you, Ezra," Aria called over her shoulder as she rushed out the bar. She didn't want to be late picking up her brother. If she was, he would ask questions, and the last thing she wanted was to explain to her brother that she had just made out with a stranger in the bathroom of a bar.

However, soon Aria would discover that Ezra was not a stranger. In fact, he would be close to her in more than one way.


	4. Chapter 4

After picking up Mike and driving home, Aria's phone beeped. It was a text message from Ali.

**_Alison: _**_Hey, Aria, the girls are meeting up at my house for the night. Want to come?_

Aria jumped from her bedroom and rushed downstairs. She found her mom in the kitchen, enveloped in a pile of boxes.

"Hey Mom," Aria called to her mother. She took a pile of silverware from an open box and placed it in the silverware drawer. "I was wondering if I could spend the night at Ali's. The girls are all meeting up there."

Ella Montgomery sighed. "I don't know, Aria, it's our first day back from Iceland. Don't you think you want to spend it with the rest of your family?"

"If you want, I'll stay," Aria shrugged. "But how is unpacking boxes quality family time?"

Ella smirked. "You're right," she replied. "Go have fun with your friends."

"Thanks mom!" Aria cried as she hugged her mother.

Ella returned the embrace, but then whispered into Aria's ear, "Don't forget you have school tomorrow."

"I won't," Aria thanked her mother and rushed up the stairs. She pulled out her black cell phone and quickly typed a text.

**_Aria: _**_I'll be there in ten._

As quickly as she could, Aria jammed a couple pairs of clothes into a backpack. She also placed a few books and a pencil case into the bag. Finally, she picked up her tattered copy of To Kill a Mockingbird and placed it under her arm. She took the book everywhere.

Without another glance, Aria rushed out of her house. She jumped into her car and drove as fast as she could to Ali's house. Aria especially missed her sleepovers with the girls. They would stay up all night talking about whatever they wanted, would eat until they felt like throwing up, and would watch TV until their eyes couldn't take it anymore.

By the time Aria reached her best friend's house, which was a five minute drive away, she noticed that there were already three cars in the parking lot. She was late. Aria raced out of her car and rung the doorbell.

"Hey," a familiar voice greeted her.

Aria looked up. It was Alison.

"Hi!" Aria called out.

Alison stepped aside and motioned for Aria to follow her into the familiar house.

"The girls are watching TV in my room," Ali explained as she climbed up the stairs. "Come on."

Even though Aria had been gone for a year, Alison's room hadn't changed one bit. There was still a king sized bed in the middle of the room. All of the walls were painted different shades of pink. Around the bed were four small couches. Each couch could easily be turned into a bed. That was where they girls slept. In front of the main bed, a 52 inch TV hung from the roof. The room was defiantly ever girls dream chamber.

"Hey," Aria called as she entered the huge room.

One by one, the girls stood up and greeted their best friend. Then, they all jumped onto Ali's bed and continued watching the movie. By the time the movie finished, three bowls of popcorn had magically disappeared.

"So, spill," Ali gushed at Aria as soon as the movie ended.

"What?" Aria asked.

"You look different than the last time we saw you," Spencer explained.

Aria nodded. "Of course I look different. It's been a year. I cut my hair and removed my pink stip."

"No," Emily argued, "we mean you look different than you did this afternoon."

"Something happened after we left the bar," Hanna laughed.

Aria's eyes bulged open. Was she suppost to tell them about Ezra? Sure, it would do no harm, but Aria decided that she wanted to keep it to herself. Until he called her, to make sure their relationship was official.

"It's nothing," Aria replied. "But what happened to all of your plans?" she asked, changing the subject.

"Melissa's fiancé's mom bruised her hip. She's in the hospital, so Wren couldn't make it," Spencer explained.

"And welcoming the new girl didn't take long. I just had to say hi, and then I left," Emily replied.

"I told Sean that Aria was back in town, so he told me to spend the night with you guys. You know, to catch up," Hanna exclaimed.

Aria looked at Alison. "I thought you had things to do, people to see."

"I did, but the girls told me their plans changed. So, I thought it would be awesome if we could all spend the night here," Ali explained.

Spencer turned to Aria. "What did you do when we left the bar?"

"Oh," Aria stumbled on her words before finding a perfect lie. "I ordered a cheeseburger, then drove around town until Mike texted me to pick him up."

Spencer nodded, and then exchanged a nervous glance with Emily.

"There is something we need to tell you, Aria," Hanna started. "We've been getting texts-"

"Threatening texts," Emily interrupted.

"From someone named A," Spencer finished.

"A knows all of our secrets," Ali explained. "That's what made us all be more open to each other. The thing is, you may start getting texts, too."

Aria looked around, hopping that they were joking. But by the look on the girls' faces, Aria could tell there was no fib in what they were saying. "What do the texts say?"

"They threat you. For example, if you had a," Spencer thought for a second, "if you say, cheated on a test. Then A would somehow find out. It would take a picture, send it to you, then say, if you don't do this, I will show everybody else."

Aria gulped. She hated the sound of a threat. "Does A know about the," she pointed to her bracelet, "you know."

Alison spoke up. "She does," she nodded. "She's been using it against us the most."

There was an awkward silence. All of the girls were too scared to talk.

Finally, Hanna spoke up. "So, what do you wanna watch, The Hunger Games or Mission Impossible?"

"Hunger Games," Emily, Spencer, and Ali called out together.

"Mission Impossible," Aria answered.

Hanna picked up the CD of the movie Hunger Games, and then placed it into the DVD player. "Sorry Aria, but majority wins."

For the rest of the night, the girls watched movies and talked about fashion, couples, and everything that Aria had missed. Aria loved the night. She felt like she really belonged somewhere.

Even though she plastered a fake smile on her face, Aria kept thinking to what the girls had told her. There was someone out there who knew about the Jenna Thing. And s/he was willing to tell. _Hopefully, _Aria thought, _it won't bother me. _Little did Aria know that A's main target would be Aria.

Aria and someone new. Someone special.

A's new target would be Aria and Mr. Ezra Fitz


	5. Chapter 5

The girls woke up at 6:30 am the next morning. They were all exhausted as none of them had slept the previous night. However, they all forced each other out of bed, and managed to get to school on time.

"Wow!" Aria remarked as she entered Rosewood High. "This place is so full now."

Alison, whose arm was interlinked with Aria, responded, "Last year, one of the school's in Philly shut down, so everyone now comes here. Too bad none of the new boys are hot."

Aria smirked at Alison's last comment. So did the other girls.

"Where should we go?" Hanna asked.

"We should get our schedules," Spencer answered as she led the girls to the office.

The office was filled with people, all wanting to get their schedules. There was a huge line filled with loud teenagers, but Ali did not stop in the back of the cue. Instead, she lead her friends to the front of the line. Since everyone was scared of Ali, they let the five girls pass. Finally, Alison had made it to the front of the cue. In front of her, Ms. Welch stood, handing out pieces of paper.

"Name?" she asked in monotone to Alison.

"DiLaurentis."

Ms. Welch gave her a piece of paper. "Next!"

"Hastings."

"Next!"

"Montgomery."

"Next!"

"Marin."

"Next!"

"Fields."

"Next!"

Alas, the five best friends all had their schedules. They all headed in unison to their lockers, which were right next to each others.

"What do you girls have first?" Alison asked as she dumped her pink purse inside of her locker.

"English," they all replied together.

Alison gleamed. "Great, so we can all go together."

Once again, the five friends connected arms. They headed towards their English class, which had _Mr. Fitz _written on the board.

"Oh," Hanna teased. "Hot name. Fitz. I wander if he's hot, too."

"I've heard he is," Ali said.

"Well, then," Spencer added. "This will be an interesting year. With a hot teacher, none of us will learn anything!"

The girls giggled, and began entering the classroom.

"But," Ali explained. "If he's hot, he'll be mine. And then I'll have extra credit."

Emily laughed. "Are you sure he'll want to date a student?"

"Why not? Am I not pretty enough?"

"Ali," Spencer warned, "it's illegal."

"Who cares? I sure don't." Ali finished. "But whatever. Lets just sit down before the nerds steal our chairs."

One by one, the girls raided the fourth row. Aria sat herself down in a chair one seat from the window. Spencer and Ali sat next to her.

They all giggled some more until the bell finally rang. Aria pulled out her favorite copy of _To Kill a Mockingbird, _flipped to a random page, and began reading.

In the back of her mind, Aria heard the horrible sound of chalk against chalkboard. Then, she heard a silent "Holy crap" from who she thought was the teacher. From there, she heard silence, but could hear a silent movement of focus. She felt as if people were turning to look at her.

Out of curiosity, Aria raised her gaze. She stared into the eyes of her new English teacher. But, the teacher was not _new _to Aria. In fact, she had met him before. She had met him yesterday in a bar. Her new teacher was Ezra. The man with the mesmerizing eyes. The man who propped her onto a counter and pressed his lips against hers. The man she spent the night thinking about was her new teacher.

Aria and Ezra stared into each others' eyes until Ezra loudly cleared his throat. This caused the class to stop looking at Aria. Instead, they all turned to Ezra.

"My names is Mr. Fitz. I'm your new English teacher."

As soon as Aria heard Ezra speak, her phone began to ring. It signaled a new text message.

"Sorry," she whispered as she opened the text message. She hoped it was from her mom or dad. Aria longed for the text message to not be from A, the mysterious person that was tormenting her friends. However, Aria Montgomery was not a very lucky girl. The text message in fact, was from A.

_Maybe he fools around with a lot of his students. A lot of teachers do, just ask your dad. -A_

Aria gasped. She quickly turned to Alison, who was staring at her. The look on Ali's eyes read 'is it from A?'

Just before Aria responded, she thought about her answer. If she were to nod, she would have to tell her friends about Ezra. That would get him in trouble. So, instead, Aria shook her head.

For the rest of the class, Aria tried to act neutral. She was trying to act like she had not just made out with her English teacher in a dirty bathroom stall. She was trying to act likes she had not just received a text from somebody who was torturing her best friends. She was trying to act like a normal 16 year old, which was difficult for her.

Yet, Aria did not know that from there, Aria would become less and less average. In fact, it would not be correct to call her (or her friends) normal teenagers.


End file.
